Google Maps Envelopes Let You Send Snail Mail in Gmaps

Genius idea! Instead of sending out your snail mail in a boring old white envelope, print out the Google Map onto the envelope showing where it’s coming from and going to. So maybe it’s just a concept from Rahul Mahtani & Yofred Moik from the Industrial Design program at Syracuse University, but it’s genius. Their concept is to actually let you send snail mail via an extra button from within the Gmail interface itself. This is the best idea since the Google results page business cards.

Astute users of Google Maps will note that there is one CRUCIAL flaw with this design. That is the “from” address always has to be located West of the “to” address. In other words, you can only send Google Maps Envelopes to someone who lives East of your address. But otherwise this is a pretty awesome idea. And yes I could totally see this listed as one of Google’s infamous April Fools pranks.

You do realize that the earth doesn’t just stop at the easternmost point on the map, right? Every point on Earth is technically West of every other given point, and something like this would obviously incorporate that fact.